Originally Posted By: chaosmagnet
When I built my wife's kit, I threw in a bunch of pads, but honestly didn't give it any more thought than that. I'd appreciate it if you would start a thread about those needs.


Good idea Chaos! As women, we've got a few different concerns that we need to prepare for.

For the average girl or woman, adding maxipads to your kits is a great start. (They make great pressure banadages too!)BTW - if you've got girls about the right age, it's a good idea to carry these regularly because it takes a few years to figure out your cycle and it can catch you by surprise. Speaking of surprises, extra underwear is a good idea too. (Extra pants and PJs, or at least dark coloured ones, are a good idea for BOBs, etc. because it can be embarassing to have a stain.) Keep plastic bags handy for disposal and laundry too.

There a gazillion different types of pads (thick, thin, short, long, wings, no-wings) and everyone has their prefence. I would think that in a longer-term emergency situation the bigger the better but that might just be me. (At the very least, finding time and space to change them could be challenging.) Find out what she likes and stock that. How many she'll need will differ as well. If she's old enough she'll know about how many she uses in a day and a cycle, if too young, maybe not. The rate changes with age but better too many than not enough. Rather than make her uncomfortable by asking, I plan a package a month for my DSD.

Tampons are a matter of personal preference, again, with many choices. If we're talking strictly emergency, I'm inclined to skip them in longer term planning. There are potnetial health risks with them and I'd rather not add that to an already tense situation.

Cleanliness is an important issue. You guys can write your name in the snow but it's more complicated for us. Things can turn uncomfortable quickly and that can lead to worse fast.

TP is always welcome and wipes (baby or feminie) are a great idea. Women who have had babies are often given a little squirt bottle. It uses little water but really helps if you're in a longer-term situation to be able to wash-up.

In the event that something funky does happen:

-powder helps with chaffing

-a tube of canesten or other OTC for yeast infections would be an absolute blessing. They come in pills and creams and make a good partnership.

-cranberry juice or pills can help with bladder infections

Pregnancy and post-partum bring an entirely different set of challenges!

Hope that's a good start and hasn't made any of you guys put your hands over your eyes. wink
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